For Faculty & Staff

These pages are designed to provide information for UNCW Faculty & Staff in working with students with disabilities (SWD).

SWD are a rapid growing minority at UNCW, as elsewhere in American higher education. To assure equal opportunity to participate, both physical and programmatic access must be provided. This means more than the removal of architectural barriers and the provision of auxiliary services. It means that reasonable accommodations must also be made in the instructional process.

The UNCW Disability Resource Center (DRC) acts as an advocate and primary resource for students with disabilities. Just as importantly, DRC seeks to inform, instruct, and support UNCW faculty, staff & administration in their provision of and responsibility to provide appropriate accommodation to SWD.

The DRC office will only proctor tests for students requiring a reduced distraction or specific assistive technology. Please contact a DRC staff member if you have concerns or difficulties in providing the required extended time.

Faculty are encouraged to announce at the beginning of the semester or put a statement in the syllabus inviting student with disabilities to schedule an appointment. The following is a sample of a statement for the syllabus which may be used or modified to suit your course:

"If you are a person with a disability and anticipate needing accommodations of any type in order to participate in this class, you must notify the Disability Resource Center (#1033 DePaolo Hall, 910-962-7555), provide necessary documentation of the disability and arrange for the appropriate authorized accommodations. Once these accommodations are approved, please identify yourself to me so we can implement these accommodations."

If a faculty member suspects that a student has a disability, discuss the concern with the student or refer them to the Disability Resource Center. If a disability is brought to the attention of the faculty member, the faculty member is encouraged to contact the Disability Resource Center to verify the disability and to discuss accommodations.

Resources for Faculty and Staff:

DO-IT at the Faculty Room - The Faculty Room is a space for faculty to learn about how to create classroom environments and academic activities that maximize the learning of all students, including those with disabilities. (Sponsored by DO-IT, at the University of Washington)